Not Today
by Argen-Lobo-Ridder
Summary: Humanity always makes a mistake when it fails to take into account a desperate spirit's determination to protect what it loves. Raava is no exception to this rule especially when Korra is all she has left. Book 3 finale spoilers!


**Wow it has been quite a while since I've ever published something. For these two wonderful characters though and on the day of the last season premiere of Korra I felt it was about time I busted my butt to get something out before I watched the premiere episode of **_**Balance. **_**I gotta say ever since they introduced Raava to the series the relationship between the Avatar and its Spirit has really intrigued me and made me want to see more of it in the show. Please Bryke please give me some interaction between these two in the last season that's all I ask for please. **

**Sorry it's just that I've become a little obsessed with Korra's relationship with Raava and was a bit disappointed that no dialogue was shown with them during **_**Change**_**. Especially after the devastating finale episode where so much hinged on the destruction of the Avatar in the Avatar State where both of them are at their most vulnerable. So this is my little contribution to this underappreciated relationship with hopes that I'll see more of it this season at least. If not then hey there's always fanfiction right? Hehe but anyway hope you guys enjoy the story. **

**The short italicized sentences are more or less Raava's innermost thoughts. Also some sentences might not link up with canon understanding of Raava as a character and spirits in general but there's a good reason for that that you'll just have to watch out for. I've got a big project still in the works granted but it's coming where these things will make more sense in the future. For now just ignore them if you don't like them. Please review! **

_**There is only one god and his name is Death. And what do we say to Death? Not Today**_

Sometimes Raava is astonished by the depths of human cruelty.

These _monsters_ the Red Lotus have chained up Korra no better than an animal intending to do away with her by any means necessary. Worse than that they fully intend to prolong her suffering, until Korra will beg for death, all to get at Raava herself, and destroy everything she and her Avatar have fought for near millennia to protect. Korra, her brave girl, doesn't back down from them, despite her chains, and in open defiance declares that she will not let this happen. Even now after everything she's put her through Korra still wishes to defend her and their legacy.

_She does not deserve her girl. She did not deserve any of them_.

Raava wishes at times like this that she had never had them at all so she could have spared them this kind of pain. But even that is not the worst part of the whole ordeal for Raava. No the worst is that they have preyed upon her exact response to this situation and made it Korra's death sentence because the instant she comes out of the Avatar State to save her girl is when they will kill her.

And once again she is utterly powerless to change anything as the poison is administrated and it _burns_ it _burns_ so much worse than the fire so long ago, that split her from Vaatu which had caused her to need Wan's support to survive the Harmonic Convergence. It is worse than the battle not so long ago in Ba Sing Se where she also died with Aang as both their souls hung precariously in the balance, when the precision of that deadly lightning was only stopped by the water from her home and Katara's desperate need to save them both. It is worse than that horrible day only a month ago, when Vaatu, through use of his human host, ripped the pieces of her shared soul apart. When he had completely severed her ties to her loved ones her _family_ relishing her pain as he ripped her apart with his whip, while Korra could do nothing to stop it. It is worse than any pain she has ever experienced in her thousands of lifetimes, which having been eras of endless battle she had grown to know too well. And it is all because Korra experiences it right now with her with her. In that instant Raava knows that if it were at all possible she would take every ounce of her suffering away, and take it all into herself, even if it meant her _eternal_ separation form her brave girl. It is sheer torture they have inflicted on her, and how dare they she thinks, while her girl continues to suffer. Korra struggles even against her begging her to not come out so she can help the next Avatar even if Raava can't help her. Raava can barely stand it anymore as the poison makes everything worse when hallucinations of Korra's past adversaries taunt her mercilessly. When she sees Vaatu's façade hurt her girl the most, even though Raava knows it is only an illusion brought on by her Korra's terrified mind, instinct propels her to want to shut him up. She wants to shut them all up as their chants seem to echo in Korra's mind.

She loses all sense of reason as Korra's screams get worse and worse and something in Raava fully snaps. A cold and bitter fury enters her being with rage overtaking all other perspectives. For the first time in all her days that she remembers Raava doesn't care anymore for the greater good now, and what will happen to the world if she dies permanently today. All she cares about is saving Korra, and she gives herself over to her rage and pain at seeing her baby girl in distress, giving Korra all the strength she needs to free herself. Raava does not care one bit if they kill her fully now, she will find a way to come back even without her Avatar ad when she does not one member of the Red Lotus will be safe from her fury. She will make them pay for the cruel death of her girl because she will have nothing left to lose if they continue like this.

_No she has nothing left to lose._

They have pushed her too far now and for that they will suffer the consequences dearly.

And she _roars_ like a vengeful spirit of chaos only wishing destruction and death in her path. And she throws the waterbender violently away not caring if the woman recovers from that. No, her target is Zaheer who orchestrated this, who had the gall to string her girl up as a sacrifice for his twisted agenda, who wants her to suffer sheer agony before Korra begs death to come. He wanted a world of chaos to support his view of a righteous world, where no man is beheld to anyone, where the only allegiance is to himself and the ones he loves. She will show him true chaos then and the power her bond with her loved one truly is worth.

She might not possess the power of true flight he has obtained not in this form at least. But Raava has never needed any fancy tricks to win her battles, only her sheer determination and skill, which had been pounded into her before her eras long battle with Vaatu had begun. And she gives as much as she takes flinging everything she has at him to make him stay down. All she thinks about in that moment is giving Zaheer the fight of his life and making him thoroughly regret risking her wrath. He prided himself so much on the bonds he had with his allies, but he had underestimated her willingness to protect her child at all costs. With all the arrogance of humanity, he had never counted on a spirit willing to lower herself to love a human being, and fight to the last to protect her despite the limitations of a human body.

_She only wishes deep in the inner core of herself that the other Avatars were here with her right now, to help her destroy him. But if this is the last thing she does then so be it._

It's all too hopeless though, as the poison continues its deadly work and she can no longer help Korra stand against him. They collapse everything feels dark _too dark _and Raava is helpless as the madman takes the very breath from their body, and makes it _so so_ hard to breath. No _no_ it can't end this way she can't let Korra die this way but what can she do now?

For not the first time she curses the limitations of a human body as it now takes everything she has to keep the poison at bay. Yet she hasn't forgotten either the strength humans have through the bonds they can create, as a different wind enters her senses that one made by the Air Nation whom them gave themselves up to save. And it is with great satisfaction that they use the tornado to escape Zaheer's clutches, as he can only struggle helplessly against the wind which now entraps him instead of giving him freedom. But it is with even greater satisfaction that Raava grabs him by the ankle with her own chain, meant to entrap _her_ and slams him down to earth where he belongs. And if it is much harder than is strictly necessary hardly anyone cares at this point. It is the least he deserves if she breaks something vital. She can hardly bring herself to care at this point either way.

But her grim satisfaction doesn't last long and they collapse struggling to breathe. She can't move, weariness fills her whole being, and helplessness clouds everything else out. Raava thought only a month ago that she had reached the lowest point of despair, when everyone she had cared for was taken from her, split apart from her by her sadistic counterpart's mad desire to hurt her where it would wound her most. But that was nothing compared to this, because no matter how hard she tries she doesn't know how much longer she can keep Korra alive.

_She has already lost too many already, Korra is all she has left, she can't lose her too._

But the poison, the _blasted_ poison much too similar to the one that nearly ended her all those years ago, has taken its toll on them both. She wants to weep as Tonraq holds Korra close begging her to hang on. If she had a voice anymore Raava would tell the poor man she's sorry. She wants her own father here right now to hold her tight, to make everything bad in her world go away for a while; to reassure her everything will get better. But it had been ten thousand years since Raava had seen him, she didn't even know if he was alive anymore, he had been so old already when she and Wan had closed the portals for both their species' sake. And she wants to weep all over again because she doesn't know if she can be strong for Korra much less herself anymore. She reaches out to Tonraq briefly, wishing to say everything she wants to in that simple gesture, before her hand falls to her side and blackness takes over again. Mostly she would say she's sorry _so so_ sorry she involved their girl in this endless war of hers wishing she could just take the pain wholly into herself away from Korra.

_Wishing that the others were here and she didn't feel so alone in battling Korra's pain along with her._

The blackness doesn't take away the madman's triumphant laughter at their situation, but even through his sadistic din hope still registers within her, when Jinora _clever girl_ lets them know the metallic nature of the poison. That is enough; thank the spirits, for Suyin to bring them back from the brink of death once again as she works quickly to extract the poison out. Coughing Raava's content now to let Korra take over, getting right to work keeping her spirit stable enough, while Korra expresses her relief that Tonraq is alive. Raava soaks up the pure love and relief that runs through him too, as he holds them close promising he won't let them go.

_And if she closes her eyes it's almost like her father is still with her._

Still though Zaheer feels the need to denounce them, expressing the futility of this victory in the face of how widespread their organization is. She's quite satisfied when Bolin _good boy_ that he is stuffs his socks in Zaheer's mouth. She's too tired now and still trying to keep Korra stable to snap his neck like the pig he is. She'll take this grim little satisfaction though with the madman's humiliation, which is all too fitting.

But today as she sinks into weariness as Korra stabilizes Raava knows despite shutting him up that Zaheer is unfortunately right. Today she had failed and they will not just be able to walk away from this battle mostly intact like they had all other times. She has failed in every way possible to protect her girl and nothing can make her feel better about it despite their survival. All Raava can possibly do now is pray that death will not darken their steps for a time and they can heal from this.

_She is down she knows this but while it is still in her power death will not take her most precious thing away from her. Not today._

Her spirit is weary but her determination is still strong. One way or another she will help Korra through this ordeal. They will say together to death itself, and all those who follow its ways, that they will not win today not while there is still breath in her body. It is that thought more than anything that gives Raava strength as she sends Korra a small but powerful wave of love, reassuring her that she is there as they slip into a pained sleep. They will always stand together as one being of two spirits and they will bring balance to the world through their support of one another. She has leaned on Korra for many years it is her turn now to be Korra's support.


End file.
